September 3, 2011 (Washington D.C.) – President Barack Obama will honor East County’s hometown hero, Jimmie Johnson, in a ceremony at the White House next Wednesday.

Johnson will be honored not only for his record fifth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship, but also for the efforts of Johnson and NASCAR to “give back to their community,” according to a White House press release.

 August 31, 2011 ( San Diego) – The San Diego Police Officers Association, Inc. (SDPOA) is grieving the loss of Officer Christopher Blakeley, who died in an off-duty motorcycle accident on Aug. 24.

“We are once again mourning the loss of one of our own,” said Brian R. Marvel, President of the San Diego Police Officers Association. “Officer Blakeley’s tragic death is a loss to the Department, and we will deeply miss our friend and colleague. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time.”

By Miriam Raftery

August 27, 2011 (Alpine) – Blossom and Delilah, two bears rescued from a closed zoo in Oklahoma have arrived at their new home at Lions, Tigers & Bears in Alpine.

The animals were destined to be sold to a game ranch where they could be hunted and killed if not for the intervention of Bobbi Brink, owner of LTB, a rescue facility in Alpine.

Aug 24, 2011 – A call to action has been sent out to all East County and San Diego residents by the San Diego Foundation to preserve and improve our beautiful city throughout the foreseeable future. “Our Greater San Diego Vision,” is an ambitious initiative aimed at getting the community involved in preserving the San Diego way of life for the next generations.

Officer Faces a Difficult Recovery after Sustaining a Gunshot Wound to the Head

August 23, 2011 (El Cajon)--The El Cajon Police Officers’ Association (ECPOA) has opened a benefit account for wounded El Cajon Police Officer Jarred Slocum and his family. Officer Slocum is in critical but stable condition after receiving a gunshot wound to the head during a shootout on August 21st.  A press release issued by the ECPOA describes Slocum, 28, as a "loving father" of two young children and reveals that his wife is expecting a third child.

The ECPOA seeks community donations to assist the Slocum family during this tragic time.

Annual Fundraising Event to Benefit East County Youth

August 22, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Stoney’s Kids is celebrating the 20th anniversary of a “Birthday Celebration and Fundraiser Like No Other.” You’re invited to join in supporting East County youth programs onr August 25 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on the lawn under the stars at Sycuan Resort.

August 20, 2011 (Julian) -- The Julian Triangle Club will host a fundraiser on Tuesday, August 23rd, at Wynola Pizza Express, between 5-8 p.m.  Music will be provided from 6-8 p.m. by the “Gory Dayz” combo.   

 
August 20, 2011 (Lakeside) -- The Lakeside Christian Help Center has passed out brand new backpacks and school supplies to over 300 Lakeside students.  Children in local schools also received new socks and underwear.
 
“Local supporters and about 20 volunteers made this year's event amazing for the children!,” said Sherri Hurst, a community volunteer.
 

August 14, 2011 (Blossom Valley) – Does your dog have what it takes to become a therapy dog, comforting patients in hospitals and other special settings?

“Any dog can become a therapy dog if the owner has time and commitment to do the work,” says Cate Sacks at Shelter Dogs to Dream Dogs in Blossmon Valley.

August 12, 2011 (San Diego) -- Somali Youth League of San Diego in collaboration with the American Relief Agency for the Horn of Africa (ARAHA), will be hosting a benefit dinner tonight to help address the urgent humanitarian needs in Southern Somalia, where millions of people are in need of immediate help due to severe drought.

The dinner will be held at the East African Community and Cultural Center located at 4061 Fairmount Ave, San Diego, CA 92015 from 7-9 p.m. Cost is $45 at the door, or $40 with advance reservation. Donations are welcome even if you can't attend.

Donations to a trust fund for fallen officer’s family can be made through SDPOA Charity Fund

Aug. 8, 2011 (San Diego) – The San Diego Police Officers Association, Inc. (SDPOA) has issued a statement of condolences over the loss of Officer Jeremy Henwood, who was shot in the line of duty August 6 and passed away early yesterday. He is the second San Diego Police Department officer killed in the line of duty in less than a year.

“We are saddened by this senseless and cowardly act that has taken away a true hero,” said Brian R. Marvel, president of the San Diego Police Officers Association.

August 5, 2011 (La Mesa)--The Miss San Diego Cities, Miss San Diego, Miss Greater San Diego, Miss La Mesa and Miss Santee pageants are teaming up to hold the third annual Fashion Show Fundraiser “Rockin’ SD County Fashion” benefiting all of the pageant’s scholarship funds.

August 5, 2011 (La Mesa, CA) -- It was less then two months ago that Mocha, a five-year-old terrier blend sat and waited in a kennel the County Animal Shelter in Bonita waiting for her forever home. She was relinquished by her owners like many dogs who are affected by the tough economic times. Tomorrow night when the curtain closes on the Broadway musical Annie at the Moonlight Theater the young terrier is now a well trained star, far from the dog with anxiety who waited and waited for someone to consider adopting her.

July 25, 2011 (Scripps Ranch)—Each Fourth of July for the past 12 years, Sheriff’s Homicide Captain Tim Curran and his wife, Debby, have displayed a flag the size of a two-car garage at their Scripps Ranch home. But on July 5, the flag was stolen and Debby was injured as the thief made a getaway.

The story drew national attention. While the crime remains unsolved, this morning the Currans received a new flag from the Captain and Command Staff of the U.S.S. Sterett aboard the guided destroyer at the Naval Air Base.

July 22, 2011 (San Diego's East County)-- Now there's good news for parents of nonambulatory special needs children. Only a month ago, Dream Rider Equestrian Therapy had to limit its services to ambulatory children, but now, because of two new, trained, wonderful volunteers, Dream Rider can offer equine assisted activities to all special needs children, including those who cannot walk or mount a horse on their own.

 July 15, 2011, (Santee) -- Participate in a refreshing morning sprint, or a leisurely jog close to nature around the beautiful Santee Lakes at the annual "Lap the Lakes" 5K fun run on September 25th.

by Miriam Raftery

July 10, 2011 (San Diego)--“Hunger is at record levels here in San Diego,” John Lucero Criswell with the San Diego Hunger Coalition told members of the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce during a breakfast Friday at Mission Trails Regional Park.

Three food banks distribute 31 million pounds of food a year to the needy in our region, but demand has increased 10% in the past year as more people lose jobs and fall into poverty.

 Santee Store Yields Top Total in Charity Campaign for People with Disabilities 

June 28, 2011 (Santee) -- The Santee Vons store was named a top fundraising store by Easter Seals during Safeway Inc.’s charity campaign to benefit people with disabilities in April.  The Santee store achieved the highest fundraising total in its district.

June 13, 2011 (La Mesa) -- Take your family to dinner and at the same time support the fourth annual "Sustain La Mesa" Enviromental Festival and the "Our Planet, Our Home" K-12 Environmental Literacy and Art Contest, organized by the City of La Mesa's Environmental Sustainability Commission.

Print and bring the flyer to Souplantation, (9158 Fletcher Parkway, La Mesa 91942) between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Souplantation will donate 20% of sales. (A printiable flyer can be downloaded from the Souplantation link here.)

Victim found with no pulse, not breathing, and without identification -- hospital traced identity through running shoes and IPOD

June 8, 2011 (Spring Valley ) – “There was no warning. I was just running—and then I woke up in the hospital,” says Grant Fleener, 60, who collapsed from a heart attack suddenly while on his morning run on Sweetwater Springs Blvd. on April 29. Yesterday, he returned to San Miguel Fire Station to thank a passerby,  firefighters and paramedics who all helped saved his life.

June 5, 2011 (La Mesa) --Volunteers to conduct walk audits and evaluations of City of La Mesa parks are needed during the months of June and July as part of a citywide Park Master Plan project. Volunteers will walk neighborhood areas surrounding the City’s 14 parks to identify access barriers to the parks as well as potential opportunities for adding open space or green space in areas of the community that are underserved by parks and recreational facilities.

May 26, 2011 (El Cajon)--Bike To Work Day on Friday, May 20^th was a big success in El Cajon.  A total of 103 riders stopped by the Bike To Work Day Pit Stop at East Main Street and Sulzfeld.  City employees and residents were asked to find an alternative way to get to work, such as riding their bike, carpooling or taking public transit.

This event also reminded motorists and bicyclists about bicycle safety - and about sharing our roadways.  Those who stopped by the Bike To Work Pit Stop were treated to snacks, water and a Bike To Work Day T-Shirt. 

Through the sale of t-shirts, El Cajon employees raised $850 to purchase bikes for deserving grade school children in the City of El Cajon.  Last year six bikes were purchased for area students.   

By Mayan Avitable

June 3, 2011 (La Mesa) -- When I first met David Moye, he was a sixth-grader at Maryland Avenue Elementary School in La Mesa, California. The school’s students went on to a variety of colleges, careers and dreams.  David's dreams varied from music to public relations to living the American dream. In 1995, he started his career of weird news wriitng. 



"La Mesa," he says, "is the perfect place to start a career in weird news." After all, he tells me, he remembers the story of Frank Zappa coming up from El Cajon to La Mesa to go to the music store to find an obscure LP he had been searching for since reading a Look magazine article: The Complete Works of Edgard Varèse, Volume One. "Where else coud Zappa have possibly found such a work that influenced the world of modern music so much?" he asks."Where else could you find The Age of Unarius?"  The East County cult-like group believed there would be 33 spacecraft landing one on top of the other to teach us the way of peace and harmony. Those are just two among many experiences that led Moye to start a career in weird news. 

 May 28, 2011, ( El Cajon ) – With the summer approaching and warmer weather coming our way, Camp Bow Wow along with Cat & Doggie Works will once again host a Woof-n-Wash Fundraiser to help support local Animal Shelters.

On June 4th, Camp Bow Wow, El Cajon, will host its 2nd Annual Woof-n-Wash Fundraiser. The event is co-hosted by Cat & Doggie Works, El Cajon.  This event is open to the public and will raise funds and awareness for local shelters. 

May 24, 2011 (Lake Murray) – Organizers of the annual Music Fest and Fireworks show at Lake Murray seek donations—large and small--to fund this year’s event on the 4th of July.

“We understand times are tight right now, so here's the deal,” a press release issued by Navajo Events, the organizer of the Music Fest, states. “If you and each of your neighbors were able to scrounge up just 20 bucks to donate we would be in great shape."

By Miriam Raftery

May 18, 2011 (La Mesa) – Ashley Charlton, a junior and AP student at West Hills High School, has been named the grand prize winner for her entry in the 3rd Annual Golden Artistry Jewelry Design Competition.

Other top entrants for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place were Cassandra Kingsbury from El Capitan, Scott Holcomb and Noraa Reeder from Santana.

May 16, 2011 (El Cajon) – Captain Darren Norton and his wife, Mary, will be transferred from the Salvation Army’s El Cajon headquarters to accept new assignments as the Corps Officers at the Pasadena Tabernacle Corps effective June 29th. Captain North has headed up many activities in East County for the Salvation Army, including the annual East County Toy & Food Drive each holiday season as well as efforts to help fire survivors.